Quality Indices

Major quality parameters that reconsidered for mushroom marketing are size of the cap,
color, visibility of the gills, presence of stipe or stem and cleanliness of the product. An
illustration of quality indices for mushrooms is given below:
Quality Index Description
Size of the mushroom cap Uniform, well rounded cap
Color of the entire mushroom 1. Cap with a smooth glossy surface and fully intact gills
2. Discolored mushrooms with spots are of inferior quality
Gills 1. Gills should be intact
2. Gills should not be open and visible
3. Mushrooms with visible gills are of inferior quality
Cleanliness No or minimum growth medium residue Source: UC Davis, USA